Timing mechanism



July 12, 1932. MJRELAND TIMING MECHANISM Filed May 31, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet //v VENTOR MUREA Y IRELAND i A TTOR NE rs July 12, 1932. M lRELAND 1,866,808

TIMING MECHANI SM Filed May 51, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 //v VENTOR MUEEA Y IRELAND A TTORNE Ks July 12, 1932. M IRELAND 1,866,808

TIMING MECHANISM Filed may 31, 19:50 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fla. 9

//v vz/v Toe MUERA Y IRELAND ATTOENEYJ' so certain mechanisms or 85 the annexed claims.

Patented July 12, 1932 MURRAY IRELAND, OI OHS, COMPANY, 01 IINNEAI POLIS,

mmrasora, assrenon 'ro warms-mm mason, a conroaarron or unnmsora 'rnmwe lmcmmsz Application fled lay 81,

This invention relates to an improved tim; ing mechanism capable of automatically con trolling the release of certain mechanisms after a redetermined time interval.

3 An 0 ject of the invention is to rovide a timing mechanism which is quiet an accurate in operation and provided with means where-. by its speed may be gradually increased or decreased as desired, to vary the timing of the no mechanism.

A further object is to provide a timing mechanism comprising a suitable power medium connected with a chain of gears which latter are operatively connected with an ec- 18 centric and a balance ,wheel which control the operation of the mechanism.

A further object is to provide a timing mechanismincludirig a power device operatively connected to an eccentric adapted to '30 operate an oscillator having a connection with a suitable balance wheel, and said oscillator having its pivotal support mounted for adjustment in a direction towards and away from the eccentric, whereby the speed of said eccentric and its supporting shaft may be controlled, and said mechanism including 4 a rack bar adapted to actuate a trip lever forming apart of the mechanism, said trip lever being adapted to effect the release of devices after a predetermined interval.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following descri tion and accompanying drawings and wi be pointed out in In the accompanying drawings there has 'been disclosed a structure designed to carry out the various objects of the invention, but;

it is to be understood that the-invention is 0 not confined to the exact features shown as various changes ma be made within the scope of the claims whic follow,

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation Y0 mechanism; T

Figure 2 is an end view of Figillre 1 Figure 3 is a view showing e opposite side of the mechanism from that shown in F gural; l0 4 is a sectional elevation ,on the of the timing 1980. Serial K0. $57,898.

line 44 of Figure 2, showing the positions of the parts when the speed of the mechanism is adjusted to lengthen the period of operation;

Fi re 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, showing the parts adjusted to shorten the erating period, the upper portion of the mechanism being broken away;

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view'on the line 6-6 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a detail sectional view on the line 77 of Figure 1;

Figure 8 is a detail sectional view on the line 8-8 of. Fi ure 4;

Figure 9 is a. etail view showing the means provided for adjusting the parts to regulate the operating riod.

The novel timing mechanism featured in this invention is shown comprising spacedapart frame members or side plates 2 and 3,

secured together in fixed relation by means of shouldered studs 4, 5, 6, and 7. The side plates 2 and 3 and the studs 4 to 7 inclusive, cooopegate to provide a suitable supporting frame for the movable parts of the mechamsm. Y

The motive power is shown consisting of a suitable power device such as a clock spring 8 having one end secured to a shouldered screw or stud 9 anchored in the side plate 3.

A suitable guard plate 10 partially encloses the spring 8. The opposite end of the sp is suitably secured to a main operati sha 11 mounted insuitable'bearin provided in the side plates 2 and 3. A p1nion.12 is se-- cured to the main" shaft 11 exteriorl of the side plate 2 and meshes with a suita le rack bar 13 guidingly supported between the pinion 12 and a flan e roller 14 and lugs 10 e wall 2, as best shown in provided on the si i re 3. I p

gear 15 is secured to the main shaft 11 and meshes witha pinion 16 loosely mounted upon a shaft 17 retained in suitable bearin provided in the side plates 2 and 3. TIE: shaft 17 is held against longitudinal movement by suitables oulders provided at the endsthereof. f m 1 A gear 18 is secured to the shaft 17 for direct rotation therewith and carries a springactuated dog 19 operatively engaged with the teeth of the pinion 16, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 4, and also shown in Figures 2 and 8. A suitable spring 21 constantly urges the dog 19 into engagement with the teeth of the pinion 16 (see Figure 4).

The gear 18 meshes with a pinion 22 provided upon a shaft 23, the terminals of which are rotatably supported in the side lates 2 and 3. A third gear 24 is secured to t e shaft 23 and meshes with a relatively smaller pinion 25 provided upon a shaft 26 which also is mounted in the side plates 2 and 3. A suitable fly-wheel 27 is secured to the shaft 26, as is also an eccentric 28, best shown in Figures 4 and 5.

An oscillator 29 is pivotally mounted upon a pin 30 supported on a slide 31 and has a fork 32 engaging the eccentric 28, as shown in Figures 4 and 5. The opposite end of the oscillator 29 has a suitable pin 33 pivotally mounted therein which is apertured to receive the end portion 34 of a suitable spring 35, the opposite end of which is secured to a balance wheel 36, by such means as a stud 37. The balance wheel is preferably secured to a shaft 38 having its terminals suitably supported in the side plates 2 and 3.

The slide 31 which supports the oscillator 29, is shown adjustably mounted upon the side plate 3 and is movable by means of a knob or finger grip 39 terminally provided upon a short shaft 41 mounted in a bearing bracket 42 preferably secured to the side plate 2, as best shown in Figure 7. A pinion 43 is terminally provided upon the shaft 41 and meshes with a rack bar 44 secured to the slide 31. The rack bar 44 is movable in a slot 45 provided in the side plate 3, and is retained in mesh with the pinion 43 by means of a suitable leaf spring 46 supported upon a shouldered stud 47 which also acts as a guide for the upper portion of the slide 31, as clearly shown in Figure 7. The upper portion of the slide is provided with a slot 48 traversed by the stud 47. The spring 46 also 0 erates to frictionally retain the slide 31 in its adjusted positions. 7 A suitable pointer 49 is shown secured to the finger grip 39 and cooperates with a suitable scale 51 to indicate the relative position of the slide 31, the position of which controls the speed of the timing mechanism. The scale 51 is located so that it may be conveniently viewed by the person or attendant operating the mechanism. For example, when used in connection with toaster, the scale and finger grip 39 will be located exteriorly of the casing thereof, as indicated in Figure 9, in which 40 represents the toaster casing.

A trip lever 52 is shown secured to a shaft 53 having its terminals pivotally supported in the side walls 2 and 3 of the mec anism, as best shown in Figure 2. A suitable tortion spring 54 is coiled about the shaft 53 and constantly urges the trip lever 52 in a direction towards the right, when viewed as shown in Figure 4. The upper end portion 55 of the trip lever 52 projects laterally through an opening 56 provided in the side wall 2, in posltion to be engaged'by a projection 57 provided at the lower end of rack bar 13, as best shown in Figure 3. The lower end portion 58 of the trip lever 52 likewise is laterally off-set from the medial plane of the lever and projects through an opening 59 in the side wall 2, as shown in Figures 2, 3, and 7. The end portion 58 of the trip lever is adapted to be operatively connected with the mechanism or device to be controlled such, for example, as a toaster, shown in part of Fi re 9.

. e novel timing mechanism featured in this invention has been found particularly useful in connection with toasters such, for example, as the one disclosed in my pending application, filed March 19, 1930, Serial No. 437,071. It provides a very quiet operating mechanism because of the elimination of the usual escapement, commonly provided in mechanisms of this character.

To operate the mechanism, the rack bar 13 is pushed downwardly from the full to the dotted line position shown in Figure 3, whereupon the main shaft 11 will be rotated, re-

sulting in the spring 8 being wound up as in an ordinary clock. During the winding operatlon of the spring 8, the pinion 16 will idle upon the shaft 17 in a clockwise direction, w en viewed as shown in Figure 4, and the gear 18 and shaft 17 will remain stationary. When the rack bar has been depressed and is released, the clock spring 8 becomes active and operates the train of gears connecting the main shaft 11 with the eccentric shaft 26, whereupon the eccentric will be rotated and cause the oscillator 29 to oscillate about its pivot 30, shown in Figures 4 and 5. Such movement of the oscillator 29 will actuate the balance wheel 36 which acts as a governor and controls the rotative speed of the eccentric shaft 26. In Figure 4, the oscillator is positioned to cause the mechanism to rotate at low speed, while in Figure 5, it is shown positioned to cause the mechanism to operate at a higher speed. The speed of the mechanism is controlled by relatively adjusting the oscillator with respect to the axes of the eccentric shaft 26 and the shaft 35 upon which the balance wheel is secured. Thus the speed of the mechanism may be gradually increased from minimum to maximum and vice versa, by simply rotating the finger grip 39.

The trip lever 52 is so designed as to require a very slight pressure at its upper end to move the lower end portion 58 thereof out of locking engagement with the mechanism with which it may be engaged, whereby a connected with time interval, an oscillator comparatively light clock spring 8 is required may be relativel moved to control the oscilto operate'the mechanism. 7 lation of theosc llator and the speed of said I claim as my invention: shaft.

1. In an apparatus adapted to cause other mechamsm to operate after a predetermined time interval, operatively connected therewith, an oscillator the eccentric, and means associated with the oscillator for varying the operating period of the apparatus.

In an apparatus adapted to cause other mechamsm to operate after a predetermined time interval, a power device, an eccentric o ratively connected therewith, an oscillator a apted to be actuated by said eccentric, a balance wheel operatively connected with the oscillator, and means associated with the oscillator for varying the operating period of the apparatus.

3. In an apparatus adapted to cause other mechanism to operate after a predetermined time interval, a power device, an oscillator, means adapted to actuate said oscillator, a balance wheel having a yielding connection with the oscillator, and means for shifting the position of said oscillator with respect to the eccentric whereby the oscillations thereof may be varied to change the operating period of said apparatus.

4. In a timing mechanism, a power driven shaft, a member operatively connected with said shaft and adapted to cause the release of other mechanism after a predetermined operatively connected with the shaft, a movable pivot supporting said oscillator and means for relatively moving said pivot whereby the oscillations of said oscillator may be controlled to regulate the operating period of said mech- 8.1118111;

5. In a timing mechanism, a power driven shaft, a member operatively connected with said shaft and adapted to cause the release of other mechanism after a predetermined time interval, an oscillator operatively connected with the shaft, a movable pivot supporting said oscillator, and means for relatively moving said pivot .whereby the oscillations per minute of said oscillator may be varied to increase or decrease the operating in terval of said timing mechanism.

6. In a timing mechanism, a power driven shaft, a member operatively connected therewith and adapted to cause the release of other metfianism, an oscillator operatively connec ed with said shaft, and means for bodily moving said oscillator whereby the speed of said shaft ma be controlled to vary the operating perio of said timing mechanism.

7. In a timing mechanism, a power driven shaft, a trip lever operatively engaged therewith and ada ted to engage a mechanism to be controlle an oscillator operatively con. nected with said shaft, a movable pivot for said oscillator, and means whereby said pivot a power device, an eccentric ingly connectedwith said movable support for said oscillator wherebyl the latter may be relatively adjustedto con? trol the speedof said shaft and thereby vary cillator, a balance w eel yieldinglg 8. In a timing mechanism, a power driven v shaft, a lever operatively connected therewith and adapted to engage a mechanism to be controlled, an oscillator operatively con nected with'said shaft, a balance wheel yieldthe operating period of said timingmech anism.

9. In a timing mechanism, a spring actuated shaft, a lever operatively connected with said shaft and adapted to engage a mechanism to be controlled, an oscillator, means operatively connectin saidshaft with the osconnected with the oscillator, and means or moving said oscillator relatively to said balance wheel whereby the oscillations of said oscillator may be controlled vary the operating period of said timing mechanism.

, 10. In a timing mechanism, a spring actuated shaft havin a lever operatively connected therewith am? adapted to actuate a mechanism to be controlled, an eccentric also operoscillator, and a atively connected with said shaft, a member operativel connected withthe eccentric, a balance wheel having a yielding connection with said member, and means for relatively adjusting the position of said member to vary the operating period of "said timing mecha- 'msm. g k I 11. A timing mechanism comprising a c power-driven s ft an eccentric operatively connected with sai shaft, an oscillator having a forked end engaged with said eccentric, a movable pivot for supportin the oscillator, a balance wheel having a yielding connection with the opposite end of the oscillator, and means for relatively moving said ivot towards or away from said eccentric, w ereby the oscillations of said oscillator may be controlled to vary the timed operating period of said mechanism. v I

I 12. A timing mechanism com rising an eccentric, means for drivin sai eccentric, an oscillator having one en operativelyengaged with the eccentric, a movable pivot for supporting said oscillator, a balance wheel, a resilient element operatively connecting the opposite end of the'oscillator with said balance wheel, and means for relativel moving said pivot whereby the oscillations of said oscillator may be controlled to vary the timed operating period of said mechanism. 13. A timing mechanism comiprisingan eccentric, means for rotatin sai eccentric, an oscillator havin one en operatively connected with sai eccentric, a balance wheel, a resilient element secured to said balance wheel and having .a portion slidably engaged with the op osite end of said oscillator, and means for libdil moving said oscillator to control the osc' ations thereof and whereby the timed operatindg period of said mecha' nism may be varie 14. The combination with a timing mechanism comprising a spring-actuated shaft having a pinion secured thereto and a rack bar operatively engaged with said pinion and adapted to operate a mechanism to be controlled, of means for controlling the speed of said shaft to vary the operating period of said timing mechanism, said means comprising an oscillator having an operative connection with the shaft, a movable support for said oscillator, a balance wheel having a yielding connection with one end of the oscillator, and means for relatively moving said support, whereby the oscillations of said oscillator may be controlled to vary the timed operating period of said mechanism.

15. The combination with a timing mechanism comprising a spring-actuated shaft having an eccentric operatively connected there with, and also having a member adapted to be actuated by rotation of said shaft to cause it to engage a mechanism to be controlled, of an oscillator having one end engaged with said eccentric and provided with a movable support, a balance wheel yieldingly connected with the opposite end of said oscillator, and a device for relatively moving said support to control the oscillations of the oscillator,

whereby the timed operating period of the mechanism may be varied.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 28th day of May 1930.

MURRAY IRELAND.

DISCLAIMER 1,866,808.Murray McGraw Ireland, Minneapolis, dated Jul 12, 1932. Disclaimer fil Electric Oompan Minn. TIMING Mncnamsu. Patent ed November 12, 1940, by the assignee,

Hereby enters this disclaimer to claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, and 15 of said paitent 0 7ml aim December 10, 1940. 

